St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-13
QUESTION OF ADMISSION.

the vaue of the taxable property within such
| corporation.
QUESTION OF ADMISSION.
Those who oppose Statehood
Roundiy scored.
The late election shows that Dakota has a
population considerably in excess of half Il
million. The territory is filled with that most
staid and permanent of all classes, an agri-
! cultural population. 1t eXpends two millions
! annually for schools. 1t has expended more
| than S60000 in the erection of permanent
! buildings for territorial institutions. II has
| $500 miles OF railway and 250 newspapers.
! 1t has 1,000 postoffices and pays S5OO, 600 an
nually into the poSto lice department alone.
| In all that goes to make up great common
! wealth it is ahead of a dozen of the old
states of the Union. 1t maintains its
| credit: it pays lis debts; it
/ contributes thousands upon thousands to the
national treasury. Its people are law -abidin :
and God-fearing. No army is required to
maintain public order. No police are needed
to protect citizens in the enjoyment of their
| pI oSperty. Respectfully, her people have
! petitiOned for recognition bY congress. Year
after year thev have seen that body meet and
adjourn without action, and this in the face
OF that ordinance declaring that when any
territory possesses $4,000 people it snail be
admitted Into the sisterhoOd OF states. ! do
not doubt but that the blessings OF statehood
are magniied as the disadvantages of the ter
ritorial condition are exaggerated. But that
does not matter.
The people of Dakota are entitled to ad-
mission. No one denies it; no one questions
it. Upon what hypothe, is or ground of rea-
soning the application is Denied it is difficult
to conceive; on the ground of policy it is ii
ulunder; on the ground of partiSanship it is
something worse, We have seen people fight
ing to get out of the Union amid the protests
of the national government; it is a novel
sight to see 100000 people struggling to get
into the Union without being needed
by the government or recog-
nized. The excuse sometimes heard
that there is doubt as TO whether the peo-
pie desire one state or two is not valid. If
congress care to know the opinion of Dakota,
let an enabling act be passed with clause
submitting this question TO II vote; ali doubt
will then be dispeled. AT least give her all
opportunity to be heard. 1 wish to say in
this connection and with all emphasis, that
the territory cannot accomplish her aim by
any extraordinary or eXtra-iudicial methods.
Let Us disavow
TOSCE AND FOREVER
all intention seeking sueh u remedy. Ex-
perience has proved it difficult for Il state to
force its wa, out of the Union: it is even more
difficult to force way in- | take the reSpon
sibiity of saying that no such attempt will be
made by the consent of the people OF Dakota.
They will no place themselves in the attitude
| OF aWDfeahSFS OF LGNJfuNlOHlSIS Sttthc ny
reputation on their loyalty, on their patience
and on their forbearance. They love the { IL
! ion OF these states. Thousands of them
fought and shed their blood for its
maintenance. and they recoEuIze
| its paramount authority. even when that
| authority forbids their participation IN
| privileges which they have richly earned.
| But all this does not alter or leSsen the wrong.
| 1t but makes it more glaring and fiagrant.
| Nothing becomes a, government or an indi-
| Vi iual more than the prompt recognition of
! rs which, owing to circumstances. cannot
/ b. demanded and enforced. The nation is
| powerful,
| TERRITORIES ARE HELPLESS;
they have no ingenerate powers. They were
created on the supposition that the nation
! would deal justly with them; they were left
| without redress, because the fathers con-
ided III the honor and good faith of those
| who were to succeed them. / beg the men
| who represent the craftsmanship of this
| country not to betraY that trust. 1t is not
the people of Dakota who will be the greatest
| sufferers by reason of such betrayal. It is
the principle of representative government.
| An individual may be wrongfuily
denied the elective franchise without
depriving him of the material pleasures
OF life; he may amass property, win friends,
| seek happiness in 4 hundred ways. But that
wrong, like this, creeps into the body polite
and testers there. 1t becomes the precedent
for other and greater wrongs. 1t degrades
| liberty, sports with solemn injunction of the
fathers, and sacrifices those principles which
are eternal to the pitifu exigencies OF an
| hOur. No people can afford to do this. No
| people are strong enough TO trif1e with
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE
which affects the rights and privileges of
! half a million of tbeir fellow citizens. We
| profess in this land TO want a honest ey-
preston of the people regarding public meas
ures and public men. Can any statesman
cJo
| admitted. her vote will probably be cast in a
| given direction? Is that the end and aim of
| statesmanshipf Have our great men accom-
| pliShed their life mission when they have
! deprived few of their struggling country
men of political privilege because they
| differ from them on the petty details of gov
ernment? If thaGi So then politics and poll
| ticians merit all the opproorium heaped upon
| them. speak here without one selfish thought,
! | utter this protest simply in behalf of
! the diSfranchsed THOUSANDS of honest, in
| dustrious, law abiding citizens of this great
| territory, who, SO far as voice or influence in
national affairs are concerned, are are power
| less and helpless as the Indian tribe shut in
! upon a neighborlng reservation The people
| must bear and wait; but let US hope that il
ever, in the days to come, representative of
! the state of Dakota shall raise his hand 20
| stay the admission of territory similarly
| situated, the people, remembering their own
/ great wrong, win relegste him to eternal OBJ
| livion.
CONCLUSION.
Gentlemen of the general asSe nby, have
tried to give faithful account of my official
acts during the two and half years L have
had the honor to preside over the affairs of
this territory. This will probably be my last
| off cial communication TO the legislature, for
| though q Temporary delay has occurred in
! the assumption of the duties of this office by
my successor, am advised that such delay
will be of brief duration. I can be
pardoned for referring with some pride to the
records made by the various territorial Off
! GERS appointed to conduct public affairs.
! Their reports are before you and tell their
own story. They reflect credit both ON the
| territory and the gentlemen who have served
| in these places of trust and responsibility.
No scandal, defalcation, or usurpation of au-
thority, has marked the official duty of these
men. Their several departments have grown,
! hourished. and been wisely administered, and
| they come forward
| WITH CLEAN HANDS
| in the closing DAYS OF their terms to render
| an account of their stewardship. l am CRATE
| full and proud of them. They merit the thanks
| of the people and that need of praise awarded
| in the olden time-s'Well done, good and
| faithful servants / leave the executive
! office with nv faith in the future of this land
stronger than ever, and with heartfelt graft
| tude to the people for the unexampled kind
| mass they have shown me. l commend
mr successor to that same kindness and for
hearance. His duties win be arduous, his
responsibility great. No one knows the full
| worth of friendship or the full value of gen
arous words till he has labored in a field like
this. And now having terminated my official
dutv. invoke the blessing of God on the
members of this general assembly, and on the
people they represent
The latter part of the message was loudly
applauded, and at the close the governor
INTRODUCED NIB. CHURCH,
who smoke xtemporane0usly as follows:
| Mr.. President, Gentlemen OF the Council